Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)
In June 2022 AMSA received a complaint regarding underpayment of wages and seafarers who had been onboard for over 11 months. AMSA attended the vessel and found insufficient food and drinking water. Seafarers were not paid at regular monthly intervals in accordance with their Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA) and there were two seafarers with expired SEAs, having been onboard for more than 11 months. There was also evidence that a seafarer failed to receive adequate medical attention. The vessel was detained on 16 June 2022. Upon release from detention the vessel was issued a refusal of access direction notice for 180 days.
In September 2022 AMSA received a complaint from seafarers that they were refused shore leave for 6 months. AMSA found evidence to substantiate the complaint and an MLC deficiency was issued. The company was not allowing shore leave regardless of whether there was a negative COVID-19 test. Consequently, the company updated and revised its ‘Guidance on Shore Leave’ policy fleetwide.
In November 2022 AMSA received a complaint that seafarers had not been paid since July 2022. AMSA inspected the vessel and found that wages between August and October had not been paid in full with only around 50 per cent of seafarer’s wages having been paid. The Seafarers’ Employment Agreements (SEAs) did not reference the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA in place and the wages were not in accordance with the CBA. Total amount owing was an estimated AUD$108,000. The vessel was detained on 9 November 2022.
On 11 November, the payment for outstanding wages was received onboard and the SEAs were revised in accordance with the CBA Following the release from detention, the vessel was issued a refusal of access direction (banned) from Australian ports for 90 days.